


Passenger Side

by Squirrel_Kiln



Category: Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: Dipper isn't the smoothest guy out there but hey, Gen, In this story they're both around 20 so Dipper can legally drive don't worry, M/M, Mystery Kids, Parapines, he tried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 04:13:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16211159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squirrel_Kiln/pseuds/Squirrel_Kiln
Summary: In which Dipper takes Norman on a road trip, in a stolen car. Pretty extreme, but he's got an important question to ask.





	Passenger Side

Norman checked his phone to confirm what he had discussed earlier. Dipper would pick him up from the front of the motel, but Norman was early. He sat on a bench by the door and played on his phone when he waited. Dipper said he wanted to surprise him so Norman had no clue where he was going.

Eventually, a smooth white car pulled up to the curb. Norman didn't look up. He only did when he heard his name being called.

When he finally lifted his head, his mouth fell open in shock.

"Get in, loser, we're going shopping!" Dipper grinned at him from behind the wheel of a very fine looking convertible . Norman quickly got to his feet, cautiously walking to it.

"Where did you get this?" Norman was practically breathless. He didn't know cars well, despite his dad's insistence, but it was obvious how nice this car was.

"I borrowed it from my cousin," Dipper shrugged nonchalantly. He reached over and opened the door for Norman, who nervously climbed into the passenger side.

"You stole it?" Norman translated. Dipped tilted his head back in laughter, giving Norman that trademarked  _ 'I've done nothing wrong' _ grin.

"It's not a felony if you give it back," Dipper hummed. Norman rolled his eyes and smiled--no turning back now.

"Silly me, thinking of legalities... Where are we going?" Norman strapped in.

"Not sure yet." Norman gave his friend an incredulous look.

"You're not sure?" He repeated. "Dipper Pines, the man who always has a plan, doesn't know where we're going. I never thought I'd see the day!"

"Oh, come on. I can be spontaneous," Dipper defended. Norman cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, right. You'd plan your own spontaneous combustion if you could." They both made faces at each other before Dipper finally pulled away from the hotel.

Norman admired how smooth the car drove--he expected it to be worse.

"You wanna put on your music?" Dipper interrupted his thoughts.

"What? You hate it when other people play music when you drive." Norman gave Dipper a suspicious look. Dipper shrugged in response.

"You have good taste in music... Long as you don't skip anything, go ahead. Cord's right there."

"I'm surprised this thing even has an aux," Norman muttered as he connected his phone to the radio.

"My cousin flips cars, it definitely didn't have it before hand." Dipper laughed.

"We're hitting the highway?" Norman looked around.

"Mhm... Okay, I may have a plan of where to go."

"There's the Dipper I know and love," Norman laughed.

"Come on, let me pretend to be spontaneous!" Dipper laughed with him.

"Never! Mm, should I put my playlist on shuffle?" Norman flicked through the songs on his phone. "I can't find one to listen to."

"Go for it." Dipper nodded. Norman's fingered hovered over the shuffle button as he prayed nothing too embarrassing played.

He wasn't sure if he was happy when Smallpools played through speakers.

“ _ Some people say there's nothing really real here, _

_ “They're painted like the sun without a soul.” _

“I didn't know you had music that wasn't related to the supernatural,” Dipper teased. Norman laughed, albeit nervously.

“I'm a man of many tastes!”

_ Please don't read into the lyrics,  _ Norman prayed.  _ Don't read into it! _

When he looked back at Dipper, he was happy to see his friend looked relaxed as he focused on the road. The summer air washed over them, not too hot, not too cold, and even with just the music playing the moment was peaceful. Norman shut his eyes and let his head fall back.

_ “I've got all my money on you and though my dollars are few, _

_ “I feel like a million bucks and I give no fucks when I'm with you, _

_ “I've got all my money on you and though my dollars are few,  _

_ “I feel like a million bucks, a million bucks.” _

“You do have good music taste,” Dipper commented. Norman smiled.

“Thank you. Wish I could say the same.”

“I--dude! That's so mean!” Dipper looked genuinely hurt. Norman put his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. “We were having a moment!”

“I'm joking, Dip! My music's just better.”

“Wow, I see how it is… I take you on this nice car ride and this is how you repay me? I'm hurt, Norman, real hurt.” Dipper put a hand to his chest and feigned hurt.

“I'll make it up to you later, promise.” Norman giggled.

“Mmhm. Sure you will…”

“Are we going to the beach?” Norman seemed to realize their destination faster than Dipper wanted. He nodded.

“You kept saying you wanted to go, so I figured it would be romantic to bring you at sunset.” Dipper looked over at Norman and gave him a wink. 

“Romantic?” Norman repeated. Dipper said nothing else when he looked back to the road, but he had a large smile. Norman, feeling flustered and hopeful, looked straight out the windshield.

Dipper took a road Norman didn't realize existed until he was on it. Then again, Dipper had home court advantage. He probably knew more secret paths on the west coast than Norman ever would.

_ “Hey, baby, won't you look my way?  _

_ “I could be your new addiction.  _

_ “Hey, baby, what you gotta say? _

_ “All you're giving me is fiction.” _

Norman was starting to wish he didn't have so many love songs on his phone. Dipper said nothing about the song, but he tapped his fingers to the beat.

“This is pretty out of the way… is this legal?” Norman spoke up. The path they took didn't seem worn and he swore he saw a private property sign somewhere along the way.

“Oh come on, are you always this concerned about being arrested?” Dipper tutted. “It's not. It used to be like a, like a… makeout point, but some rumors said that some asshole spray painted people's cars here. People stopped coming.”

“Was the rumor true?”

“I dunno, I usually used silly string.” Dipper gave him a deviant’s smile. Norman laughed--of course Dipper became his own urban legend at some point. Norman went to make a joke when he looked over the cliff. He didn't know the sky could…  _ have  _ so many colors.

“Wow…” Norman gasped.

“ _ It started with a whisper,  _

_ “And that was when I kissed her, _

_ “And then she made my lips hurt~” _

“I've never really been subtle,” Dipper said as he parked. “And I'm guessing you're not too oblivious.”

“... You're not about to propose, right? You haven't even met my parents.” Norman gave Dipper a wide-eyed look of innocence. Dipper suddenly looked a lot less confident. Norman could only hold his face for a little longer before laughing. Dipper let out a sigh of relief and gave a reluctant smile.

“Um… I'm glad you're joking.” Dipper laughed awkwardly. “I was just, uh, just wondering…”

Norman's heart seized in his chest. He undid his seat belt, since it felt like it was suffocating him. He moved closer to Dipper.

“ _ Hey, sugar, give me all your love, _

_ “All you're giving me is fiction. _

_ “Hey, sugar, what you gotta say?” _

“Will you be my boyfriend?” Dipper held his breath. Norman knew the question was coming but he still was at a loss for words. At his lack of reaction, Dipper seemed disappointed. He started to look away, started to say ‘nevermind.’

Norman panicked, grabbed Dipper's shirt to pull him closer, and he kissed him.

That kiss hardly lasted. They pulled away for a moment, staring with their faces red and their eyes wide, before they went back in. Norman's fingers found their way into Dipper's hair, and Dipper held his face.

When they pulled away again, they were both silent. Norman's heart was pounding in his chest, and Dipper seemed breathless.

“... Yes.” Norman clarified softly.

“I--yes?” Dipper blinked.

“I'll be your boyfriend, Dipper.” Norman smiled. It took a moment to register, but when it did, Dipper smiled proudly. “Did you think I would say no?”

“Well, there was the chance.” His smile turned sheepish. Norman laughed and kissed him again, taking his hand.

“You could have just asked me normally, you know.”

“I've always had a flair for the dramatic.” Dipper smiled, winking.


End file.
